Hot gas generator with integral recovery tube

Abstract

A housing surrounds a portion of a tubular member forming a combustion chamber in the annulus between the housing and the tubular member. The housing has an upper end and a lower end with a port for the passage of hot gases. The tubular member has a port at a lower end portion. The tubular member and housing are located in a borehole and oxygen and hydrogen are injected into the chamber to form a combustible mixture which is ignited and burned to form combustion gases for flow through the port of the housing into the borehole. Steam is injected through the tubular member for cooling the housing and the combustion gases. After a period of time, the injection of the oxygen, hydrogen and steam is terminated and a pump is lowered into the tubular member for pumping fluids in the borehole upward through the tubular member to the surface. Instead of steam, an excess of hydrogen may be injected into the combustion chamber for cooling purposes.

We claim: 
     
       1. A system for use for recovering hydrocarbons or other materials from underground formations penetrated by a borehole, comprising: a tubular member extending from the surface into said borehole,   said tubular member having a lower end portion with a port means,   a housing located in said borehole and surrounding a portion of said tubular member such that a chamber is formed between the wall of said housing and said tubular member,   said housing having a closed upper end located below the surface and a lower end with a port means for the passage of heated gases,   said housing being separated and apart from the inside wall of said borehole,   means for injecting a fuel and an oxidizing fluid into said chamber to form a combustible mixture therein,   means for igniting the combustible mixture in said chamber for combustion for forming hot combustion gases for flow through said port means of said housing, and   a pump adapted to be located in said tubular member at a level sufficient to pump fluid from said borehole upward through said tubular member to the surface when hot combustion gases are not being formed.   
     
     
       2. The system of claim 1, wherein: said tubular member has a lower open end defining said port means of said tubular member.   
     
     
       3. The system of claim 1, wherein: said port means of said tubular member is located at a level near said port means of said housing.   
     
     
       4. The system of claim 1, wherein: said port means of said tubular member is defined as a first port means of said tubular member,   said tubular member extends through said port means of said housing,   said first port means of said tubular member comprises at least one aperture formed through the wall of said tubular member,   said lower end portion of said tubular member comprises a lower opening defining a second port means of said tubular member located below said first port means of said tubular member and below said port means of said housing,   means for injecting a cooling fluid into said tubular member,   said second port means of said tubular member being adapted to be closed and opened whereby said second port means of said tubular member may be closed during the injection of cooling fluid into said tubular member and opened when said pump is located in said tubular member.   
     
     
       5. The system of claim 4, comprising: means for closing and opening said second port means of said tubular member.   
     
     
       6. The system of claim 4, wherein: said lower end portion of said tubular member is constructed to allow said pump to be lowered into said tubular member below said first port means of said tubular member for closing said second port means when said pump is not operating.   
     
     
       7. The apparatus of claim 4, comprising: means separate from said pump means for opening and closing said second port means of said tubular member.   
     
     
       8. The system of claim 4, comprising: an expandable packer located around said lower end portion of said tubular member below said port means of said housing, below said first port means of said tubular member, and above said second port means of said tubular member.   
     
     
       9. The system of claim 4, wherein: said tubular member comprises an upper portion of a first diameter and said lower end portion of a diameter less than that of said first diameter with a shoulder extending between said upper portion and said lower end portion of said tubular member,   said first port means of aid tubular member comprises at least one aperture formed through said shoulder, and   means adapted to be located on said shoulder within said tubular member and removed therefrom for closing and opening said first port means of said tubular member.   
     
     
       10. A system for use for recovering hydrocarbons or other materials from underground formations penetrated by a borehole, comprising: a tubular member having an upper end and a lower end portion with a port means,   a housing surrounding a portion of said tubular member such that a chamber is formed between the wall of said housing and said tubular member,   said housing having a closed upper end and a lower end with a port means for the passage of heated gases,   means for injecting a fuel and an oxidizing fluid into said chamber to form a combustible mixture therein,   means for igniting the combustible mixture in said chamber for forming hot combustion gases for flow through said port means of said housing,   said tubular member and said housing being adapted to be located in a borehole penetrating underground formations with said lower end portion of said tubular member and said lower end of said housing being located below their upper ends respectively and with said upper end of said housing being located below the surface and said housing being separate and apart from the inside wall of said borehole whereby when a combustible mixture is formed in said chamber and ignited, hot combustion gases will flow through said port means of said housing and into said borehole,   said tubular member being capable of receiving a pump through its upper end to a level sufficient to pump fluid from the borehole upward through said tubular member when combustion gases are not being formed.   
     
     
       11. The system of claim 10, wherein: said tubular member has a lower open end defining said port means of said tubular member.   
     
     
       12. The system of claim 10, wherein: said port means of said tubular member is located at a level near said port means of said housing.   
     
     
       13. The system of claim 10, wherein: said port means of said tubular member is defined as a first port means of said tubular member,   said tubular member extends through said port means of said housing such that said lower end portion of said tubular member is located below said port means of said housing and below said first port means of said tubular member,   said first port means of said tubular member comprises at least one aperture formed through the wall of said tubular member,   said lower end portion of said tubular member comprises a lower opening defining a second port means of said tubular member located below said first port means of said tubular member and below said port means of said housing,   said tubular member being adapted to have a cooling fluid injected therein,   said second port means of said tubular member being adapted to be closed and opened whereby said second port means of said tubular member may be closed during the injection of cooling fluid into said tubular member and opened when said pump is located in said tubular member.   
     
     
       14. The system of claim 13, comprising: means for closing and opening said second port means of said tubular member.   
     
     
       15. The system of claim 13, wherein: said lower end portion of said tubular member is constructed to allow said pump to be lowered into said tubular member below said first port means of said tubular member for closing said second port means when said pump is not operating.   
     
     
       16. The system of claim 13, comprising: means separate from said pump means for opening and closing said second port means of said tubular member.   
     
     
       17. The system of claim 13, comprising: an expandable packer located around said lower end portion of said tubular member below said port means of said housing, below said first port means of said tubular member, and above said second port means of said tubular member.   
     
     
       18. The system of claim 13, wherein: said tubular member comprises an upper portion of a first diameter and said lower end portion of a diameter less than that of said first diameter with a shoulder extending between said upper portion and said lower end portion of said tubular member,   said first port means of said tubular member comprises at least one aperture formed through said shoulder, and   means adapted to be located on said shoulder within said tubular member and removed therefrom for closing and opening said first port means of said tubular member.   
     
     
       19. A method of recovering hydrocarbons or other materials from underground formations penetrated by a borehole employing a system comprising a tubular member extending from the surface into said borehole and which has a lower end portion with a port means, a housing located in said borehole and surrounding a portion of said tubular member such that a chamber is formed between the wall of said housing and said tubular member, said housing having a lower end with a port means for the passage of heated gases, said method comprising the steps of: injecting a fuel and an oxidizing fluid from the surface into said chamber to form a combustible mixture therein,   igniting the combustible mixture in said chamber for combustion for forming hot combustion gases for flow through said port means of said housing,   terminating the injection of said fuel and oxidizing fluid into said chamber,   locating a pump in said tubular member at a level sufficient to pump fluid from the borehole upward through said tubular member to the surface and,   operating said pump to pump fluid from said borehole upward through said tubular member to the surface.   
     
     
       20. The method of claim 19, wherein said tubular member has a lower open end defining said port means of said tubular member, said method comprising the step of: injecting a cooling fluid into said tubular member,   said cooling fluid when injected into said tubular member flows out of said lower open end and said fluid pumped from said borehole passes through said lower open end into said tubular member and upward to the surface.   
     
     
       21. The method of claim 20 wherein said port means of said tubular member is defined as a first port means of said tubular member, said tubular member extends through said port means of said housing such that said lower end portion of said tubular member is located below said port means of said housing, said first port means of said tubular member comprises at least one aperture formed through the wall thereof, said lower end portion of said tubular member comprises a lower opening defining a second port means of said tubular member located below said first port means of said tubular member, said method comprises the steps of: allowing the flow of fluid through said second port means of said tubular member when said pump is located in said tubular member and operated to pump fluid from said borehole through said second port means upward through said tubular member to the surface.   
     
     
       22. The method of claim 21, comprising the steps of during the operation said pump: locating a packer around said lower end portion of said tubular member below said port means of said housing below said first port means of said tubular member and above said second port means of said tubular member and forming a seal with said packer between said lower end portion of said tubular member and the wall of said borehole, and   injecting a gas under pressure in said borehole above said packer to prevent fluid from flowing from said tubular member back into said borehole by way of said first port means of said tubular member.   
     
     
       23. The method of claim 21, comprising the step of during the operation of said pump, blocking the flow of fluid through said first port means of said tubular member to prevent fluid from flowing from said tubular member back into said borehole by way of said first port means of said tubular member.   
     
     
       24. A system for use for recovering hydrocarbons or other materials from underground formations penetrated by a borehole, comprising: a tubular means extending from the surface into said borehole,   said tubular means having a lower end portion with a port means,   a housing located in said borehole and surrounding a portion of said tubular means such that a chamber is formed between the wall of said housing and said tubular means,   said housing having a closed upper end located below the surface and a lower end with a port means for the passage of heated gases,   said housing being separate and apart from the inside wall of said borehole,   means for injecting a fuel and an oxidizing fluid into said chamber to form a combustible mixture therein, and   means for igniting the combustible mixture in said chamber for combustion for forming hot combustion gases for flow through said port means of said housing,   said tubular means allowing fluid from said borehole to be recoverable by passage upward through said tubular member to the surface when hot combustion gases are not being formed.   
     
     
       25. A system for use for recovering hydrocarbons or other materials from underground formations penetrated by a borehole comprising: a tubular means having an upper end and a lower end portion with a port means,   a housing surrounding a portion of said tubular means such that a chamber is formed between the wall of said housing and said tubular means,   said housing having a closed upper end and a lower end with a port means for the passage of heated gases,   means for injecting a fuel and an oxidizing fluid into said chamber to form a combustible mixture therein,   means for igniting the combustible mixture in said chamber for forming combustion gases for flow through said port means of said housing,   said tubular means and said housing being adapted to be located in a borehole penetrating underground formations with said lower end portion of said tubular member and said lower end of said housing being located below their upper ends respectively and with said upper end of said housing being located below the surface and said housing being separate and apart from the inside wall of said borehole whereby when a combustible mixture is formed in said chamber and ignited, hot combustion gases will flow through said port means of said housing and into said borehole,   said tubular means allowing fluid from the borehole to be recoverable by passage upward through said tubular means when combustion gases are not being formed.   
     
     
       26. A method of recovering hydrocarbons or other materials from underground formations penetrated by a borehole employing a system comprising a tubular means extending from the surface into said borehole and which has a lower end portion with a port means, a housing located in said borehole and surrounding a portion of said tubular means such that a chamber is formed between the wall of said housing and said tubular means, said housing being separate and apart from the inside wall of said borehole and having a closed upper end located below the surface and a lower end with a port means for the passage of heated gases, said method comprising the steps of: injecting a fuel and an oxidizing fluid from the surface into said chamber to form a combustible mixture therein,   igniting the combustible mixture in said chamber for combustion for forming hot combustible gases for flow through said port means of said housing,   terminating the injection of said fuel and oxidizing fluid into said chamber, and   flowing fluid from the borehole upward through said tubular means to the surface.